On average, a wealthy city, home of the nation's public service, partly helping to prop up average incomes and house prices, to the benefit of many.

Despite this reputation, many Canberrans are struggling to find a permanent home, particularly those reliant on federal government income support, which continues to be frozen despite years of calls for it to be lifted for the most vulnerable among us.

While Canberra is still one of the most equitable cities in the country as far as income goes, there remain some 35,000-odd residents struggling to make rent and keep the lights on.

Those facing serious risk of homelessness and other dire personal circumstances - often through no fault of their own - are getting some access, if belated, to public housing.

But a report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare confirms Canberra's public housing is not being used to its fullest extent - as many as 17 per cent of these homes are "under-utilised", with spare bedrooms that could house larger families than the current tenants.

This is a complex problem, but not one that has snuck up on the ACT's legislators, indeed it is partly a legacy of the Commonwealth housing public servants in some of these properties, likely who have had children leave home over the years but have not left the dwelling.

As a society, we should not be forcing such people from their homes unwillingly, but the current government has been in power for nearly two decades, yet a solution has not been forthcoming.

Indeed, some may argue the government's aggressive urban renewal agenda is exacerbating the problem.

With smaller one and two bedroom flats that once lined Northbourne Avenue being progressively torn down, to make way for yet more gentrified apartment-dwellers, this agenda could be seen as removing such smaller dwellings and leaving this city with the legacy of a greater proportion of public three and four bedroom homes.

Housing Minister Yvette Berry seems genuinely concerned about this and the many other factors affecting housing affordability in Canberra, though more than a year and half since the promise of a new housing strategy, it has not been released.

Little more than $6.5 million desperately-needed specialist homelessness services was forthcoming in the government's recent budget, and while federal tax policies are a key piece of the picture nationally, that issue does not abrogate the local government of its responsibility to its citizens.

However firmly the ACT Greens and Ms Berry prosecute their arguments for more to be done on affordable housing, this issue is one where the ultimate burden rests with Chief Minister Andrew Barr.

One cannot escape the concept that providing more affordable housing, whether by increasing supply, financial incentives or another mechanism, is less of a priority for Mr Barr than the light rail or a budget "football scorecard".

One hopes that when the promised housing strategy is publicly released, it provides honest, achieveable options to help solve the complex problem this city, and so many others, is grappling with.